East Asia Hit by Record Snowfalls and Cold Weather

Extreme cold weather pushed through East Asia this weekend, causing deaths and crippling transportation, according to multiple news sources.

The sudden drop in temperature led to 50 deaths in Taiwan, where many victims were elderly people living in northern cities, the BBC reported. Two fatalities were reported in Japan, too, where heavy snowstorms also led to at least 100 injuries, according to the Japan Times.

Transportation was battered across the region. Snowfall and below freezing temperatures forced the closure of the airport in Jeju, South Korea. Large numbers of tourists were stranded on the usually temperate island, the BBC reported.

Cities across Asia saw mercury drop well below seasonal averages. Beijing had a high of just 9°F (–13°C) on Saturday. Further south, residents of Hong Kong donned heavy coats on Sunday when temperatures dropped to a 60-year low of about 39°F (4°C), according to al-Jazeera.

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Write to Mark Rivett-Carnac at mark.rivett-carnac@timeasia.com.